Veterans of Pickens County with Mr. Freeman.
By Melanie Harville, Correspondent
Residents of Pickens County had the opportunity to experience a treat on Thursday, April 11th at the Aliceville Museum. Bradford Freeman, a 92-year-old former member of ‘The Easy Company ‘of The Band of Brothers, that parachuted in before D-Day on the beaches of Normandy.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Aliceville’s City Council meeting on Wednesday, April 10 began with the council once again electing to table the National Guard Armory rental agreement. The council also moved to keep an ordinance on providing storage for legally impounded vehicles on the unfinished business agenda.
The last item of unfinished business was appointment of the equalization board. The following were nominated to the board at the council meeting: Caleb Marine, Marion Bonner, Terry Windham, and David McCaffrey.
By Melanie Harville, Correspondent
On April 9, 2019, the Pickens County Commission held a brief meeting to vote on several items on their agenda.
The commissioners discussed the following items:
Recently, inquiries have been made about the decision of the Pickens County Health Care Authority, which owns and operates Pickens County Medical Center, to terminate its management agreement with Boa Vida Healthcare.
As you may know, Pickens County Medical Center has been under severe financial stress and, in an effort to improve the hospital’s financial condition, Boa Vida was engaged at the first of February of this year to manage the hospital.
Chanerya Rowland and her son Ethan at her book signing at the Aliceville Library on Sunday, March 31st.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The Aliceville Public Library hosted its first book signing on Sunday, March 31st for Aliceville native Chanerya Rowland and her book titled Dear Ethan. Rowland, now a Tuscaloosa resident, mentioned that she was elated for the library to host her book signing and release amongst a crowd of friends and family.
“It really means a lot and it definitely meant a lot when (library director Frances Lewis) called and said she would help out. That really meant a lot to me,” Rowland said.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
H.E.L.P., Incorporated is an origin to destination demand response and contract transportation agency. The organization’s goal is to provide safe, reliable, affordable transportation for the citizens of Pickens County. Director Patricia McCafferty announced in the YouthBuild Advisory Committee meeting last Thursday that the service would soon begin transporting Pickens County residents to Tuscaloosa County for a round-trip fee of just $10.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The April 1st Gordo Town Council made quorum last Monday evening, but councilmen Terence Williamson and Tim Washington were both absent for the meeting.
The first item of new business addressed was an ordinance and resolution of permanent nature, as Mayor Craig Patterson introduced a new proclamation before the council to name April 21-27, 2019 as Parental Alienation Prevention Week. April 25th is Parental Alienation Awareness Bubbles of Love Day.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The April 4th Carrollton City Council meeting was held at the Carrollton Police Department rather than city hall, due to unfinished remodeling at the normal meeting place.
Mayor Mickey Walker mentioned that the renovations to the Carrollton City Hall were almost complete, with everything set to go except some work on the windows. Walker said he fully expects the staff to be moved back into City Hall by the upcoming May council meeting.
BY Addie Grace Phillips, Correspondent
The Reform Council meeting held on Tuesday, April 2 began with Mayor Bennie Harton addressing the new quote for 27 new field lights at the city park's baseball fields.
Left to right are: Congressman Robert Aderholt, Joeita Simon (mother), Major Jodie Minor, Taryn Minor (daughter), Trey Minor (son), Jasmine Walker (daughter), Sherry Anderson (aunt) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell.
Captain Jodie W. Minor Jr. of Carrollton was recently promoted to the rank of major in the U.S. Army.
Minor graduated from Athens State University and held several business management jobs before enlisting in the United States Army as an Intelligence Analyst in 2004. In 2008, CPT Minor commissioned as an Adjutant General’s (AG) Corps (Human Resources) Officer through the Army’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) Program.
Jodie is currently assigned as a Congressional Budget Liaison to the House of Representatives within ASA-FM&C’s Congressional Budget Liaison Office.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Aliceville City Council's meeting on March 27 was very brief, as the first item under unfinished business was Mayor Marva Gipson discussing that at the March 13th meeting, Councilman Terrence Windham discussed the council meeting in a separate board meeting to discuss some of the city's matters. Gipson mentioned that the council would hold the board meeting on March 28.
Marva Gipson
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Mayor Marva Gipson is a native of Aliceville and a graduate R.J. Kirksey High School. Gipson then attended Tuskegee Institute University and Miles College and began her career at the Pickens County Board of Education as a Teacher’s Aide and later as School Secretary. She was the third African American to be employed at Westinghouse Electricity Corporation, where she served as a shipping clerk/receptionist in Reform, Ala.
Local children assist in a ‘Clean-up Day at the Park’ in late February.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The Aliceville Dixie Youth league threw out the first pitch of the 2019 season this week with some much needed improvements to the Aliceville City Park fields.
Rob Dahlberg, President of the newly appointed Aliceville Park and Recreation Board, has been instrumental in the new park renovations and held a clean-up day in late February, where both adults and children worked together to help clean up trash and get the field ready for the upcoming baseball season.
Pickens County Career Center
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The Pickens County Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, March 20th began with Superintendent Jamie Chapman informing the board that the Board of Education meeting on Monday, April 15th would be moved to the Pickens County College and Career Center, rather than at the central office. Chapman stated that the meeting would remain at its scheduled time of 6 p.m. and all that would change is the location.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the new 659 area code will be added to the area served by the 205 area code, which is known as an area code overlay.
An overlay is the addition of another area code to the same geographic region as an existing area code, however, it does not require customers to change their existing area code.
BY DOUG SANDERS JR., Correspondent
The Pickens County Commission recently adopted a new logging notice system that went into effect this week which will set up guidelines for timber owners and loggers.
The Commission held an extremely brief meeting on March 26, lasting a total of six minutes. First, the Commission made a motion to adopt the ordinance, to take effect April 1, and it was unanimously approved. Then, they voted unanimously to appoint County Engineer Clint Terry to be the license inspector responsible for enforcing the ordinance.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
The Reform Council meeting on Tuesday, March 19 began with Mayor Bennie Harton discussing the quotes for the light repairs at the city park. Harton said the park director took a careful count of the park’s lights to determine exactly how many were needing replaced. Mills Electric had given the city a quote for approximately 40 lights being out, when the count was actually lower.
Horace Moore, publisher of the Pickens County Herald, was recently named president of the Alabama Press Association Board of Directors. Moore assumed the position of the press association on February 9.
Mayor Walker is seeking a grant to rectify the flooding situation on Sanders Street in Carrollton.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Pinnacle Renewable Energy celebrated 365 days of no workplace accidents on Wednesday, March 13th.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Pinnacle Renewable Energy plant celebrated safety last Wednesday evening, inviting all employees and several members of the community to partake in a cookout at the plant on Highway 17. The celebration was called for, as the plant had gone 365 days with no workplace accidents. General Manager Ritu Linhart introduced each of the team leaders, managers, and employees and recognized them for their role in achieving this milestone. The plant achieved the milestone on January 21st and has remained accident free since then, as well.
Jeanette Filpi
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Jeanette Filpi recently moved to Pickens County to serve as the CEO of the Pickens County Medical Center. Filpi has been in Pickens County for just over two weeks now and is looking to make a difference at the PCMC and in the local community. She sat down with Pickens County Herald Editor Brian Hamilton for the inaugural publication of ‘People of Pickens’.
Q: How did you end up hearing about the PCMC opportunity?
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Mayor Marva Gipson was out last meeting due to sickness, but two meetings ago Police Chief Tonnie Jones asked Gipson and the council about the possibility of storing vehicles in the gated lot by the police department for a small storage free, to be deposited into the police department’s fund. This discussion was brought up again during the Aliceville council on Wednesday, March 13th.
Everett Owens is awarded the Citizen of the Year award by Donny Sanders at the Aliceville Chamber Banquet last Tuesday night.
By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor
Everett Owens was named Aliceville’s Citizen of the Year for 2018 at the Aliceville Chamber of Commerce banquet last Tuesday.
“I’m very humble, very thankful, and very appreciative, but I’m also aware that this has not been done just by me alone,” Owens said.
“I have a wonderful support system and surprisingly they’re all here tonight. I know you’ve all heard the old saying that ‘Behind every successful man, there stands a woman, rolling her eyes’,” Owens joked.
